The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-03

judicia! decisions in his favor and his failure
thereon are detailed. The events attending the
usurpation of authority and a violation of the
rights and privileges of the Senate by Smith
Stunning to act as Lieutenant governor at the or
ganizatlon OF the Senate. Jan. 6. 1887, are set
forth, together with tho protests of the Repub
can minority. Reference is also made to the arbi
trary rules adopted by the Democratic majority,
oy which all the rights of the minority were
destroyed by the tyrannical use of the previous
question. The canvass of votes for Lieutenant
governor, and the declaration that Robert $
robertson was elected, his demand for the pre-
siding officers chair of the Senate the refusal of
the Democrats to surrender the Lieutenant
governors protest and that of the Republican
senators are followed with mnuteness of record
thereafter the event of the arbitrary and
illegal unseating Of Senator Mcdonald and the
seating OF Branaman is described in which it is
declared that the report of the majority of the
senate committee on elections had been pre-
pared In advance of testimony" Connected
with this is set forth the frequent violations of
1altn with the minority, and the repeated OBJ
structlons used to prevent full, free and just
hearing on this alleged contest. As to the joint
convention to elect United States Senator 1t
is set forth that Alonzo G. Smith procured an
injunction to prevent Lieutenant governor Rob
ertson from presiding thereat, and then follows
the protests to the votes of Branaman,
Isaiah b. Mcdonald and Alonzo g. Smith cast
lor Iurpie Recltng the decision of the Su-
preme Court IN the suit of Smith for injunction
against Lieutenant governor Robertson, and the
iat:ers forcible ejectment from the Senate
chamber on his demand for the presiding officers
chair, Notwithstanding the decision in his
favor. the memorialists further show that said
Smith upon repeated occasions during the ses
| sion OF the Senate has conducted himself toward
the Republican minority in the most overbear
| Ing insolent and offensive manner. He has or
dered Senators to take their seats IN a loud and
violent tone, and threatened. il not instantly
1 obeyed, to have the Door keeper force them into
| their seats and keep them there. He has threat
| ened to have Republican Senators elected from
the Senate chamber Upon one occasion he
stationed door-keeper near a Republican Sena-
/ TOT With orders to remain and keep him in his
| seat. On another occasion the Door keeper,
| by his directions, seized a Republican
Senator by the throat and forced
him into his seat with such violence "a to break
the chair and cause the Senator to fall TO the
| moor. The only provocation for this treatment
was that the Republican Senators at the time
were protesting against his usurpation of the
| CHAIR as presiding officer of the Senate ana
against his arbitrary and oppressive rulings by
which their rights minority dis
regarded. Your memorialists submit that the
organization of the Senate of the Fifty fifth Gen
eral Assembly OF the State of Indiana iii the
manner herein before set forth was in violation of
law and revolutionary; that it entered into for
| the purpose OF enabling the majority to unseat
| Republican Senators and seat in their places
their Democratic competitors for the sole nur-
pose OF preserving the alleged Democratic ma or-
lty OF two on joint ballot and thereby secure the
| election of said David Turpie to the Senate of
! the United States
| During the reading the Clerk omitted pages
| here and there, which did not please RepreSen-
| tative Jewett. who exclaimed: ''When in
! famous libel and falsehood is to be spread the
minutes. l want all of it read" With that
| Establishment of manner which distinguishes
| this gentlemen when be wants to play political
trick two, he tried to get from the Clerk an
/ admission that some of the pages had been
| passed over without reading. Now, you know.
| he said. there is some of that paper you have
| not read. Didn't yon skip page two!" AS
| the Clerk is guleless and not accustomed to
| sugared persuasyeness of politicians, he hlushed
under the illusions of the gentleman from Floyd.
whom Speaker Sayre quietly put aside with,
| the gentleman is out of order. The Clerk will
proceed with the reading" On adopting the
memorial the previous question vigorously
| exercised leaving the Democrats to relieve their
tortured feelings by explaining votes. Repre-
| sentative 1bach was somewhat feverish in his
expressions. and holly exclaimed, referring to
the Republicans, II look into the face of fifty
six towards, and"
You are liar shouted Representative
Stubbleheld, starting up the aisle with his small
stature lengthening Il inch two in his wrath
his eyes flashing and his purpose hesi;atine be
tween attacking the indiscreet Represen2- tive
; -s:th his fist Or a spittonn Had he said an
| other word, said Representative Stubblefied
| afterwards, "a spittoon would have been hurled
| at his head. No one can call Republicans COW
| ards as long have strength to resent it, /,
is mistake to judge Republican courage by the
size of the man. Representative Stubblefeld
is about five feet five inches high and weighs
| within $50 pounds, but has pluck enough Il
fight single handed all the pugstc door keep
ers of the Senate. In the afternoon Represent
alive Ibach apoloeized for his heated expression
| regarding Republican courage and his colleague
the gentleman from Pike, did his share toward
| restoring good feeling by saying. Il accept the
| apology, and also beg pardon" The memoria
was adopted. and within an hour was in the post
office on its way to Washington.